Where designing a website is concerned, first impressions are most important. The first 10 seconds a visitor has when landing on your website can literally make or break your business.

There are a number of details which should be considered carefully before creating your website. The first is to create your website with a plan that allows for your various details to be easily changed when required. This will not be quite so easy with all details, but most will lend themselves to being changed easily if you know the tricks.

The following details require the most attention when designing your website:

1.) ColorThe color of your website should contain at least 2 colors and typically no more than 3 colors. As boring as it sounds, seriously try to use white backgrounds with black text for your content. I want to increase the severity of my suggestion if your website intends to do business. Look around the Internet and you will begin to see a pattern. Sort out the successful websites from those that are not and the patterns are absolutely undeniable. The point here is that you can use colors and graphics without affecting how content is issued in black text on white backgrounds. As for the colors that you use, please choose carefully.

2.) Layout - the interfaceThe layout of you website is absolutely critical. It must be easy to understand. It must be visually appealing as well as comfortable to look at. If your page is longer than the length of 2 pieces of normal paper (in terms of information put on one sheet of paper on one side) then you need to either include a full set of navigation at the bottom or a link that clearly lets the visitor know they can jump to the top of that page where the navigation is.

3.) NavigationThe trick to creating navigation is to be sure the name of the link clearly states the subject of the content waiting at the other end. And please, make sure the content is what you indicated it would be. Not a lot angers a visitor more than their arriving at a location that was suppose to have specific information and other stuff was found. A lot of designers like to use graphics for their links. That can look great with a cool design. But you lose valuable power with search engines. Text links can act as powerful keywords and keyword phrases. Graphics are merely graphics. Search engines cannot read what a graphic has to say. Also, if a visitor to your website is using a text only browser, which 8% to 10% of the internet typically uses, then graphic links will mean absolutely nothing.

4.) Spelling and GrammarPrepare your content in a word processor. The red line underneath the words is an indication that the word is misspelled. Use the spelling tool under TOOLS to discover the correct way to spell the word and make the change. The green line underneath the words is an indication that the grammar is wrong. Try changing words until the green lines have disappeared. The power of the word processor will make your website appear more expert like and folks will look to you with trust and respect - the very concepts you want to bestow in others to better assist in making sales.

5.) GraphicsGraphics should be cool, light weight (optimized to their smallest weight without altering the visual value of the graphic) and there should be as few graphics as possible per page. Be sure though, to include a few graphics with each article when appropriate.

6.) AudioAudio files are very popular these days. Use them sparing and try not to pile them all onto one single page. Be sure to have your audio files pertain to something important. Simply playing music as an added attraction isn' cool or desirable.

7.) Pop-upsThere should never be a popup unless you provide a like that uses a popup to demonstrate value to the link. For example, you have an image and you link that image to a popup with the intent of showing a larger view of that image.

8.) ContentContent needs to be short, concise and of value. The front page of your website is the perfect place to install new content often. When installing new content you move old content to another location of your website and that location should be easy to access from a link in your primary navigation which is on every page of your website.

9.) Advertising Advertising is a great concept and will make you money if done correctly. I would not suggest doing it right away though. Get your primary website built. Test that website and work on understanding what is working and what is not. Get a handle on making changes and develop habits that assist you with adding content on a regular basis - like once every 2 weeks at first. More often if possible. But create a pattern that your visitors can learn to expect and trust will happen. Also, add the little stuff and learn how to make use of them - like a tracker, a way to get visitors to sign up for an occasional email from you about new content on your website, and so on.

Build your website in such a manner that you are treating your website visitors like people instead of a click through. Present your content as though you were having a conversation with a single person. Be personable. Be honest and direct. Allow your visitor to know that you consider them important and you want to make their world better. Your website is a powerful tool. Use it wisely.